RSSFood-stamp increase can't come soon enough
Yakima Herald-Republic
"We" surely wouldn't people starving here in USA. As someone mentioned in a a letter to the Editor there are 92% believers in the USA, mostly Christions. Let us show Compassion for the unfortunate that need help. Andy
Report ViolationWhoever wrote this article ought to check his/her facts. The $542 max benefit is for cash assistance not food assistance for a family of 4. I have a family of 5 and am on disability. I am currently only receiving $375 (as of this 10/1 increase) for us to use. This results in 37.50/day/5 or approx 7.50 person per day. No one can eat healthy, esp kids b/t 9-17 on $7.50/day...this affect sleep, exercise, energy, learning, behavior, etc. I hate it when these rich folk get on the news or another study comes out linking obesity with "lazy food stamp recipients". We don't get enough food to be fat unless you count the processed cheap stuff I have to buy because I can't afford to buy the healthy vegetables, fruit, lean meat, cereals, etc.
Report ViolationYou want to blame our debt on immigrants that are here illegally tryig to make a better life for their families..you want them all to go back to where they came from...well then why don't you send every last one of us who are not Mexican or Native American because they were here first and we are the illegal immigrants that came over to make a better life for our families and created these problems for ourselves. In the 1900s, the African-Americans were to blame for our grief, in the 1800s, its was the Native Americans, in the 1700s the Europeans who settled here caused all our problems....quit blaming everyone else, face the facts that we created our own problems and we need to correct our own mistakes without blaming others. The U.S. is a mess because the U.S. is doing a lousy job of being their own accountant.
Increasing the food stamps for the low income, disabled, elderly, foster children and families stuggling to make ends meet is the moral thing to do, no matter where they are from. One day you may be forced to take some help and maybe you will realize just how difficult it is to swallow your pride and ask for the government's help to feed your family.
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On its face, it sounds like a nice gesture. However, until our state can overcome its humongous debt and until there is a concerted effort to identify who they are giving the benefits to, it shouldn't happen. For example, a huge number of food stamp recipients are immigrants. Of those, approximately 75% - 80 % are illegal. They are here working for greedy employers who pay them about half of what their work is really worth, forcing the workers to rely upon State welfare to fill in the gaps. This is made even worse by many who send a healthy part of their meager pay back to Mexico, and then go ion welfare and medicaid to make up the difference. The net result is Government subsidies to private business and also unidentified foreign aid, as well as a huge negative impact on local services and infrastructure that costs ME a good part of my fixed income!
Report ViolationThese are facts that can't be denied, and it is simply no longer fair or reasonable to ignore them and ask us to pay for it all. It is time for the U.S. to follow the EU and give these people 30 days to clear out and go back where they came from or face jail time. Yes, we would then have to support them in jail, but at least we would know where they are and they could then be officially deported.
Yes, it sounds harsh, but we need to get a handle on this immense problem. Our Governor needs to direct her departments to pay more attention, or any attention at all, to the citizenship requirement for state benefits.
This specific problem is the reason that I-409 has been drafted and is now available for signatures. You should do an article on that.